Amanda Holden and Alan Carr were offered one of the biggest gigs on UK television – as BBC bosses offered them the chance to replace Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly on Strictly
11:01, 21 Jan 2026Updated 11:28, 21 Jan 2026
Amanda and Alan are a much-loved TV duo(Image: BBC)
Many fans have been wondering who will replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on Strictly Come Dancing.
Sadly, one thing’s for sure is that it won’t be Alan Carr and Amanda Holden. The celebrity friends, whose bond has gained growing interest since their joint BBC series, revealed all in a recent podcast interview.
Alan, 49, and Amanda, 54, made the revelation as they were interviewed on Jessie and Lennie Ware on their joint podcast, Table Manners. During the podcast interview, Lennie asked: “Can I ask a burning question? You two aren’t going to present Strictly together?”
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TV favourites Amanda and Alan will not be hosting Strictly(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Voltage TV/Zak Walton)
Celebrity Traitors winner Alan replied with: “No, we said no ages ago.” It comes after Amanda addressed the claims she and Alan could host the hit Saturday night show together on her Heart Radio Breakfast show in December.
Speaking about the decision at the time, Amanda explained: “I want to say now that me and Alan are 100 per cent not doing Strictly.” She added: “We are so flattered to be in that mix. We both are not doing it.”
Meanwhile, during the podcast interview, Alan also shut down rumours that his hit late night comedy chat show, Alan Carr: Chatty Man, could make a comeback. Jessie Ware asked: “Ooo, booked and busy, baby. When is Chatty Man coming back?” To which Alan said: “Oh, that was another clickbait thing during Traitors [..] It would be nice to do a chat show, I don’t know, but [..] no one’s approached me or anything.” The TV personalities recently released their new BBC series, Amanda & Alan’s Greek Job – which sees them take on another huge renovation project, this time in Corfu.
Claudia and Tess ended their Strictly hosting stint on a high(Image: PA)
Meanwhile, Strictly Come Dancing hosts Tess and Claudia announced their decision to quit hosting the prime time show in a joint statement at the end of last year. The pair’s final live show wrapped in December and was an emotional one for fans. Tess had been hosting Strictly since its launch in 2004, first presenting alongside Bruce Forsyth before Claudia took over from Bruce in 2014.
The pair’s replacements have not been announced but many big names have been throw into the mix – including Alex Jones and Bradley Walsh. Meanwhile, former BBC Radio DJ Zoe Ball is one of the favourites to step onto the ballroom.
Speaking to The Sunday Times Zoe, who previously hosted Strictly’s spin-off It Takes Two, said: “Obviously, there’s a part of me that would love to do it. But I will still be watching, whoever hosts.”
Speaking of the show, Ball added: “This is the hilarious thing, it’s all anyone talks to me about.
“At the moment I am in mourning for Tess and Claud because I love those girls. I think everyone’s name is being thrown into the mix.” She added: “I love that show. I loved performing on it with Ian Waite, who is one of my best buddies. It’s so joyful, and it’s live telly, which is another thing that people don’t give the girls enough credit for. That show is a beast. Whoever gets to do it has a tough act to follow.”
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